1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system, and particularly, to a door lock unit of a power-assisted door closure system for vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
In some vehicles, there are hinged or sliding side doors and/or rear doors that are provided with a door closure system, whereby by just closing the door to a half-closed condition, drive power of an incorporated motor brings the door to a fully closed condition. (For similar technology, refer to Nissan Motor Corporation""s new vehicle manual W30-1, pages D-31 to D-35.)
This type of door closure system is constituted with a drive unit and a door lock unit both disposed within a vehicular door. The drive unit and the door lock unit are linked with each other through an actuation wire, and drive power of an electric motor that is provided in the drive unit is transmitted to the door lock unit via the wire.
The door lock unit includes a latching plate that engages with a striker that is provided on the vehicle side, a closing lever which engages with the latching plate and causes it to rotate in an engagement direction, and an actuation wire that is linked to the closing lever and which transmits drive power. From the standpoint of ease of assembly, the latching plate, closing lever, and wire are generally assembled in a mutually overlapping manner.
The latching plate of the door lock unit can rotate reciprocally about a shaft, from a released position, through a half-latched position, up to a fully latched position. When the latching plate reaches the half-latched position, a half-latched switch detects this condition, the wire is pulled by the drive unit so as to move the closing lever that is linked to the wire, so that part of the closing lever engages with the latching part of the latching plate, the latching plate being forcibly rotated from the half-latched position up to the fully latched position. By doing this, the latching plate, which was in the half-latched position, is brought to the fully latched position, at which it engages fully with the striker.
When the fully latched position is reached, the fully latched switch detects this condition, the motor being rotated in the reverse direction so as to push the wire. When this is done, the engagement between the closing lever and the latching plate is released, the closing lever returning to a position that is further to the outside of the rotational path of the engaging part from the fully latched position up to the half-latched position. That is, the closing lever is not allowed to be positioned at a point between the fully latched position and the half-latched position. The reason for this is that, if the latching plate that rotated in the reverse direction should for some reason come into contact with the closing lever and stop at an intermediate position, a false locked condition would occur, which neither the fully latched switch nor the half-latched switch would be able to detect. For this reason, to prevent this situation, the latching plate is not allowed to engage with the closing lever until it reaches at least the half-latched position. By doing this, even if something should cause the latching plate to rotate in the reverse direction, the latching plate will return as far as the half-latched position. Once it returns to the half-latched position, the half-latched switch will detect it once again, enabling the latching plate to be swung up to the fully latched position once again, so that the intermediate condition does not occur.
In the above-noted technology, however, because the latching plate, the closing lever, and the wire are assembled so as to be mutually overlapping, there is an increase in the thickness of the door in the longitudinal direction thereof, this causing a critical reduction in installation space for a rollup/rolldown window that is provided within the door.
In the technology of the past, because the construction was such that the closing lever was caused to move in a straight line along the direction of the pulling of the wire, and such that, after the reaching the fully latched position, the closing plate was returned to a position that is outside the limitation of swinging motion of the engaging part up until the latching plate half-latched position, the stroke of the wire was large. Therefore, there was an increase in the amount of slack, between the time the drive unit motor starts rotating, until the latching plate actually starts swinging, resulting in a long time required to reach the fully latched position from the half-latched position.
The fact that the wire stroke was large makes the drive unit for the purpose of pulling the wire large, this not only leading to an increase in weight, but also a worsening of the efficient use of space within the door.
Accordingly, the invention was in consideration of the related art as noted above, and has as an object the provision of a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system, which is capable of providing a reduction in the thickness of the door in the longitudinal direction.
It is another object of the invention to provide a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system, which is capable of providing a shortening of the drive wire stroke.
A first aspect of the invention is a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system, this door lock unit having a latching plate, which is free to reciprocally swing about an axis from a released position, through a half-latched position, to a fully latched position, a closing lever, which is provided so as to extend in the up/down direction, and which, when it rises to an engaging part formed on an edge of the latching plate, engages therewith and causes the latching plate to swing toward the fully latched position, and a wire, which is linked to the lower end of the closing lever, and which transmits driving force for the purpose of raising the closing lever, the closing lever and the outer peripheral part of the latching plate being disposed on substantially the same plane, and the wire passing the upper part of the latching plate, after which it is bent downward and linked to the lower end of the closing lever.
According to the first aspect of the invention, because the closing lever and the outer periphery of the latching plate are disposed on substantially the same plane, it is possible to reduce the, thickness of the door lock unit. There is therefore no problem with achieving sufficient space within the door, thereby facilitating the layout of a rollup/rolldown glass within the door. Additionally, because the closing lever is provided in the up/down direction and the wire passes the upper part of the latching plate and is then bent downward, corresponding parts of the closing lever and the wire are each in the vertical direction, thereby enabling a reduction in the width size (size in the direction perpendicular to the width) of the door lock unit. It is therefore possible to reduce the thickness of the door itself, thereby enabling an expansion of the space within the vehicle and an improvement in appearance. Additionally, because the wire is linked to the lower end of the closing lever, the driving force of the wire makes a U-turn via the closing lever, and then is transmitted to the latching plate, the result being that it is possible to reduce the vertical size of the door lock unit. Therefore, layout of other components in the vertical space of the door lock unit is facilitated.
The second aspect of the invention is a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system as in the first aspect, this door lock unit further having a cover that covers the latching plate and the closing lever, the lower edge of the cover being formed with a step towards the closing lever, the lower end of the closing lever being mounted to the lower end of the cover so as to be freely movable upward and downward.
According to the second aspect of the invention, because the rigidity of the cover is raised by forming a step in the lower edge thereof, and because the lower end of the closing lever is linked to the lower end thereof, there is no loss of mounting rigidity of the closing lever, even if the thickness of the door lock unit is reduced.
A third aspect of the invention is a door lock unit according to the first aspect noted above, wherein an engagement groove, which accepts the striker, and an engagement part that inputs rotational force are formed on the latching plate, and wherein on the upper end of the closing lever a protrusion, which engages the latching plate engaging part that is disposed at the half-latched position, and a pin, which is in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the latching plate are formed, a guide hole being formed on the body onto which the latching plate and closing lever are mounted, into which the pin on the other end of the closing lever is positioned. On the latching plate end of the guide hole, an inclined edge is formed, at a prescribed angle with respect to direction that the wire pulls the closing lever, and a biasing mechanism is provided on the body, which biases the pin on the other end of the closing lever toward to this inclined edge. When the closing lever is pulled by the wire, the pin of the closing lever moves toward the latching plate at a prescribed angle, along the inclined edge of the guide hole, the protrusion of the closing lever engaging with the engaging part of the latching plate and causing the latching plate to swing toward the fully latched position, and when the closing lever is pushed by the wire, the protrusion of the closing lever returns to outside the limit of swinging of the engaging part from the fully latched position to the half-latched position.
According to the third aspect of the invention, because the pin of the closing lever moves toward the latching plate at a prescribed angle, along the inclined edge of the guide hole, compared to the case in which the closing lever is moved in a straight line along the pulling direction of the wire, the movement is along what could be called a shortcut, thereby enabling a shortening of the wire stroke. Therefore, in addition to a shortening of the amount of slack from the time the wire is pulled until the point at which the latching plate actually swings, making it possible to reduce the size of the drive unit that drives the wire, it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle body, and to improve the efficiency of use of space within the door.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, a pull lever, which has an elongated arc-shaped hole having as its center of curvature the axis of the latching plate and disposed substantially on the same plane as the outer periphery of the latching plate, is provided on the upper part of the closing lever, the pin on the upper end of the closing lever being made to engage the elongated hole, and a spring being provided on the upper end of the pull lever so as to bias the elongated hole part in an approaching direction to the latching plate.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, because the above-noted biasing mechanism is provided by mechanism of the spring and the pull lever, this pushing the pin within the elongated hole toward the inclined edge, the closing lever pin moves reliably along the inclined edge of the guide hole. Because the elongated hole is arc-shaped, with its center at the axis of the latching plate, the action of the closing lever protrusion is to push the latching plate engaging part in the shape of an arc, thereby enabling the reliable swinging of the latching plate up to the fully latched position.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, in addition to making the width of the guide hole that is formed on the body a size that allows the pin of the closing lever to move horizontally, the upper end of the pull lever is bent toward the latching plate, and an outside lever is mounted to the bottom of the pull lever so as to be able to swing about the axis, a pull link being provided so as to join the end of the outside lever that rises when an opening operation is done with the upper end of the pull lever, and the outside lever and pull lever being each disposed substantially on one and the same surface on the periphery of the latching plate.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, because the operation of opening the outside lever causes the associated operating force to be transmitted from the pull link to the pull lever, thereby causing the elongated hole part of the pull lever to swing in the direction away from the latching plate, the upper end of the closing lever that is engaged with the elongated hole also moves away from the latching plate, thereby enabling reliable swinging of the latching plate from the half-latched position to the released position, without interference with the closing lever.
A sixth aspect of the invention is a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system, this door lock unit having a latching plate, which is free to reciprocally swing about an axis from a released position, through a half-latched position, to a fully latched position, this latching plate having an engaging groove, which accepts a striker that is provided on the vehicle side, and an engaging part at which rotational force is input, a closing lever being provided at a position adjacent to the latching plate, the distal end of which in the wire path being linked to a wire and moving the wire, and the other end of which having formed therein a protrusion which engages with the engaging part of the latching plate in the half-latched position and a pin, which protrudes in a direction that is perpendicular with respect to the latching plate surface. On the body to which the latching plate and closing lever are mounted is formed a guide hole, into which is positioned the pin at the other end of the closing lever, and an inclined edge which is inclined towards the latching plate by a prescribed angle with respect to the direction in which the wire pulls the closing lever, and a biasing mechanism is provided on the body, which biases the pin on the other end of the closing lever toward the inclined edge. When the closing lever is pulled by the wire, the pin of the closing lever moves toward the latching plate at a prescribed angle, along the inclined edge of the guide hole, the protrusion of the closing lever engaging with the engaging part of the latching plate and causing the latching plate to swing toward the fully latched position, and when the closing lever is pushed by the wire, the protrusion of the closing lever returns to outside the limit of swinging of the engaging part from the fully latched position to the half-latched position.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, because the pin of the closing lever moves toward the latching plate at a prescribed angle, along the inclined edge of the guide hole when the wire pulls the closing lever, compared to the case in which the closing lever is moved in a straight line along the pulling direction of the wire, the movement is along what could be called a shortcut, thereby enabling a shortening of the wire stroke. Therefore, in addition to a shortening of the amount of slack from the time the wire is pulled until the point at which the latching plate actually swings, it is possible to reduce the size of the drive unit that drives the wire, it is possible to make a reduction in the weight of the vehicle body, and to improve the efficiency of use of space within the door.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, a pull lever having an elongated arc-shaped hole having as its center of curvature the axis of the latching plate, is provided on the upper part of the closing lever, the pin on the upper end of the closing lever being made to engage the elongated hole, and a spring being provided on the upper end of the pull lever so as to bias the elongated hole part in an approaching direction to the latching plate.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, because the above-noted biasing mechanism is provided by mechanism of the spring and the pull lever, this pushing the pin within the elongated hole toward the inclined edge, the closing lever pin moves reliably along the inclined edge of the guide hole. Because the elongated hole is arc-shaped, with its center at the axis of the latching plate, the action of the closing lever protrusion is to push the latching plate engaging part in the shape of an arc, thereby enabling the reliable swinging of the latching plate up to the fully latched position.
In an eighth aspect of the invention, in addition to making the width of the guide hole that is formed on the body a size that allows the pin of the closing lever to move horizontally, the upper end of the pull lever is bent toward the latching plate, and an outside lever is mounted to the bottom of the pull lever so as to be able to swing about the axis, a pull link being provided so as to join the end of the outside lever that rises when an opening operation is done with the upper end of the pull lever.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, because the operation of opening the outside lever causes the associated operating force to be transmitted from the pull link to the pull lever, thereby causing the elongated hole part of the pull lever to swing in the direction away from the latching plate, the upper end of the closing lever that is engaged with the elongated hole also moves away from the latching plate, thereby enabling reliable swinging of the latching plate from the half-latched position to the released position, without interference with the closing lever.
In a ninth aspect of the invention, a pawl is provided at a position adjacent to the latching plate, this pawl inhibiting the return swing of the latching plate by having one end thereof engage with the latching plate at the half-latched position and at the fully latched position, the other end of the pawl being linked to by a link to the end of the outside lever than is lowered when an outside lever opening operation is performed.
According to the ninth aspect of the invention, because the operating force when the outside lever is opened is transmitted to the other end of the pawl via the link, it is possible to swing the pawl in the direction of disengagement from the latching plate. Even when the pawl is provided, it is therefore possible to cause the latching plate to swing reliably to the released position.
According to a tenth aspect of the invention, a door lock unit of a vehicular door closure system comprises a latch plate that swings about a first axis and engages with a striker, a closing lever, which swings about a second axis, which is lower than the first axis, and which engages with the latching plate, and a mechanism that controls the distance between the first and the second axes, wherein the distance controlling mechanism includes an operating wire, this operating wire being linked to the second axis and moving the second shaft up and down.
The tenth aspect of the invention allows for a reduced door thickness.
According to an eleventh aspect of the invention, the closing lever can swing about a third axis, which is higher than the second axis, and the third axis can move horizontally with respect to the first axis.
The eleventh aspect of the invention allows for the wire to have a shorter way.